Thursday, 3 December 2009

Daniel Hannan, whatever you might think of him, is a masterly orator and writer as this piece shows over at his blog.

I am quoting the last paragraph with my emphasis:

"Seven million Swiss, relying on a series of bilateral free trade agreements, have done precisely this and have become, in consequence, the wealthiest people in Europe (see here). Couldn’t 60 million Britons do something similar? We are a nation of seamen and explorers, of merchants and traders, of adventurers and colonists. We are linked to every corner of the world by our language and laws. And, for what it’s worth, we are running a trade surplus with every continent on Earth except Europe. The City must think globally. If we tie London to a shrinking, over-regulated, ageing and sclerotic regional bloc, we are finished."

Are we really that anymore Mr. Hannan? I of course would love for us to be but I think that the Labourities have masterfully succeeded in destroying the majority of the next generation.

-For every Explorer there are a 10,000 quangocrats

-For every Merchant and Trader there are 1,000 civil servants whose soul function used to be just that but now merely work to introduce more and more red-tape; British and EU.

-For every Adventurer there are a 100 lobbyists

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These are not honourable people, not anymore, one could make the case that quangoinistas and the civil servants did join their respective agency with clear heart and open mind, to serve their country. One could have made that case, but not anymore since both have been politicised. They are naturally biased towards people with political favouritism - critically setting them apart from their functions as a means to the government's end, not part of the means to that end as they have become.

4 comments:

its not the whole nation that has been corrupted- just the establishment. Please don't write the British people off yet - despite it all, the next generation can still surprise - and even amaze.There is still hope - remember that adversity never makes one (or a nation) weak - quite the opposite, in fact.People's eyes are starting to open to it now - of all generations (if anything the old 'uns are the slow ones...).

Its not the whole nation that has been corrupted- just the establishment. Please don't write the British people off yet - despite it all, the next generation can still surprise - and even amaze.There is still hope - remember that adversity never makes one (or a nation) weak - quite the opposite, in fact.People's eyes are starting to open to it now - of all generations (if anything the old 'uns are the slow ones...).

Where Power Went

In the Palace of Westminster, exercised on behalf of elected representatives of the people. Democracy is not a spectator sport.

1971 FCO 30/104

"The transfer of major executive responsibilities to the bureaucratic Commission in Brussels will exacerbate popular feeling of alienation from government. To counter this feeling, strengthened local and regional democratic processes… and effective Community regional economic and social policies will be essential… there would be a major responsibility on HM Government and on all political parties not to exacerbate public concern by attributing unpopular policies to the remote and unmanageable workings of the Community."